Valve lifter



Oct. 12, 1954 R. v. STEARNS 2,691,209

VALVE LIFTER Filed Nov. 7, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Raymond V SleamsINVENTOR.

BY ,I

Oct. 12, 1954 R. v. STEARNS VALVE LIFTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 7,1951 Fig. .3

Raymond M. .Sfearns INVENTOR.

BY can W 3m Patented Oct. 12, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VALVELIFTER Raymond V. Stearns, Superior, Wis.

Application November 7, 1951, Serial No. 255,249

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a valve lifter and particularly to a fluidoperated valve lifter having a foot controlled means.

It is well known that in the operation of removing the valve spring froma valve to remove the same for operating thereon it is extremely awkwardand inconvenient to remove the pin from the holes of the valve springseat on av valve stem. Various tools have been arranged for compressingthe spring and sliding it on the valve stem so that the pins or clipscan be readily removed from the lower end of the valve stem. Suchdevices are extremely awkward to handle and since one hand must be usedto maintain the tool in position it is very awkward to remove the pin orthe clip with one hand.

The present invention provides a valve lifting tool having a fluidcylinder for applying the compressing pressure and a foot controlledpedal for pumping the fluid into the cylinder. This arrangement leavesboth hands free to remove the pin or clip and do other operations on thevalve such as guiding or directing the spring with a minimum of dangerto the operator.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provied an improvedvalve lifter.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a valve lifterhaving a fluid cylinder for applying the compression pressure.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a fluid cylindervalve lifter having a foot controlled means for controlling the pump.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be apparent from the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the improved valve lifter applied toa valve of an automobile shown in phantom;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail sectional elevation taken substantiallyon the plane indicated by the line 22 of Figure 3 and showing the con-In the exemplary embodiment of the invention Ill indicates generally anengine having a cylinder 12 with a piston l4 slidable therein. A valvehead [8 acts with a valve seat It so that the valve 28 having a stem 22may operate to admit fluid or other gases into the cylinder. The valvestem 22 projects downwardly through a guide sleeve 24 to contact with avalve tappet 25. A valve spring 23 engages the lower end of the guidesleeve 24 and is supported on a valve spring seat 30 which is connectedto the stem 22 by a pin or a clip which is concealed under the valvespring seat 30.

The valve spring lifter of the present invention comprises a G-frame 32having a lower arm 34 and an upper arm 35. Rigidly mounted on the lowerarm 34 are a pair of jaws 38 and 4!! which are arranged in spacedrelation so that the jaws will pass on opposite sides of the valve stem22 and support the valve seat 32. A pair of extensions i2 and 44 providea bifurcated terminal to the upper arm 36 and mounted in a bifurcatedterminal is a guide sleeve M5. Slidably mounted in the sleeve 46 is aplunger 48 having a head 52 adapted to contact and rest on the valvehead !8. The sleeve 46 is provided with a transverse longitudinallyextending slot 52 While the plunger 48 is provided with a plurality oftransverse openings 54 with a pin 5% selectively placed in the openings54 so that the head 5i! may contact the valve head I8 while the pin 58slides in the slot 52.

A pin driving mechanism comprises a pair of upstanding brackets 58mounted on the upper arm 36 preferably adjacent to the frame web 32.Pivotally mounted on the bracket 58 is a fluid cylinder 60. A piston 52having a head slidable in the cylinder 60 is pivotally connected to oneend 64 of a bellcrank 86 having the angle portion thereof mounted on thebifurcated heads 42 and 44 by means of pin 68. A horizontal arm it ofthe bellcrank 66 contacts the pin to provide driving connection betweenthe piston 50 and the slidable plunger 48. A pump H is mounted on thecylinder 62 and is operative to transfer fluid between the ends of thecylinder so that the piston 62 may be moved in either direction withinthe cylinder 60. Pump H is provided with a pair of operative plungers l2and '14 connected by a walking beam 16 mountv ed on. a bracket l8 sothat oscillation of the walk- 3 ing beam it pushes in th plungers I2 andHi. The walking beam H5 is controlled by a foot lever 80 mounted in abracket 82 on a base 84, the foot pedal 80 being provided with anupstanding lever 86. A cable 88 is slidably contained in a flexiblecasing 90 which is connected to an upstanding lug s2 and a bracket 94mounted on the pump casing ii. Pressing the foot pedal 8!) draws thecable 85 through the casing 89 to operate the walking beam it to operatethe plungers 12 and Hi to pump fluid from one to the other of thecylinder 50.

In the operation of the device the plunger 58 is adjusted into contactwith the top of the valve 2 while the jaws 38 and All are slidablyarranged under the valve seat St. The pin 56 is then inserted in theproper hole so as to be freely slidable in slot 52 and the pump isarranged so that operation of the foot pedal transfers fluid from thefront to the rear of the cylinder 66 to push the piston 62 forward tocause rotation of the bellcrank 65 about the pin 68 to push down on thepin 58 with suflicient pressure to compress the spring 28 between thejaws 3 3 and 49 and the valve guide 25. Since the compression of thespring 28 is completely controlled by foot action both hands of theoperator are free to remove the pin or clip from the end of the valvestem 22 or to perform any other operation in connection with removingthe clip from the valve stem and adjusting or positioning the valve orthe spring 28 with respect to the valve.

While for the purpose of exempliflcation a particular embodiment of theinvention has been shown and described according to the best presentunderstanding thereof it will be apparent to those skilled in the art,that many changes and modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the true spirit of the invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

i. In a valve lifter having a C-shaped frame with a pair of spaced apartjaws rigidly secured on the end of the lower arm of said frame adaptedto engage the seatof a valve spring and a guide sleeve rigidly mountedon the upper arm of said frame, in alignment with said pair of jaws, anactuating mechanism comprising a plunger slidably received in saidsleeve, an upstanding bracket rigidly mounted on the upper arm of saidframe, a fluid cylinder pivotally mounted on the bracket and extendingin substantially parallel relation to the upper arm of said frame, apiston in said cylinder, a bellcrank pivotally mounted on the upper armof said frame intermediate the bracket and said plunger, said pistonbeing pivotally attached to one end of said crank, the other end of saidcrank being operatively connected to said plunger, and pump means forapplying fluid pressure in said cylinder.

2. In a valve lifter of the type having a C-shaped frame with a pair ofspaced apart jaws rigidly secured on the end of the lower arm to engagethe seat of a valve spring and a guide sleeve rigidly mounted on theupper arm of said frame in alignment with said pair of jaws, anoperative mechanism comprising a plunger slidably received in saidsleeve, an upstanding bracket rigidly mounted on the upper arm of saidframe, a fluid cylinder pivotally mounted on said bracket and extendingsubstantially parallel to the upper arm of said frame, a piston in saidcylinder, a bellcrank pivotally mounted on the upper arm of said framebetween said bracket and said sleeve, said piston being pivotallyattached to one end of said crank, the other end of said crank beingoperatively connected to said plunger, and a fluid pump mounted on saidcylinder for transferring fluid from one end to the other of saidcylinder.

3. A valve lifter comprising a Ct-shaped frame, a pair of spaced apartjaws rigidly secured on the end of the lower arm of said frame, saidjaws adapted to engage the seat of a valve spring, a guide sleeverigidly mounted on the upper arm of said frame, said sleeve beingaligned with said pair of jaws, a plunger slidably received in saidsleeve, an upstanding bracket rigidly mounted on the upper arm of saidframe, a fluid cylinder pivotally mounted on said bracket, a piston insaid cylinder, a bellcrank pivotally mounted on said frame between saidbracket and said sleeve, said piston being pivotally attached to one endof said crank, the other end of said crank being operatively connectedto said plunger, a fluid pump mounted on said cylinder for transferringfluid from one end to the other of said cylinder, and a foot pedaloperatively connected to said pump.

4. A valve lifter comprising a C-shaped frame, a pair of spaced apartjaws rigidly secured on the end of the lower arm of said frame, saidjaws adapted to engage the seat of a valve spring, a guide sleeverigidly mounted on the upper arm of said frame, said sleeve beingaligned with said pair of jaws, a plunger slidably received in saidsleeve, a transverse slot in said sleeve, a pin mounted in said plungerand sliding in said slot, an upstanding bracket mounted on the upper armof said frame, a fluid cylinder pivotally mounted on said bracket andextending substantially parallel to the upper arm of said frame, apiston in said cylinder, a bellcrank pivotally mounted on said frame,said piston being pivotally attached to one end of said crank, the otherend of said crank being operatively connected to said pin mounted insaid plunger, and pump means for applying fluid pressure in saidcylinder.

5. A valve lifter comprising a C-shaped frame, a pair of spaced apartjaws rigidly secured on the end of the lower arm of said frame, saidjaws adapted to engage the lower spring seat of a valve spring, abifurcated end on the end of the upper arm of said frame, a sleevemounted in said bifurcated end, said sleeve being transverse to saidarm, a plunger slidably mounted in said sleeve, a head on said plungeradapted to contact a valve head, a longitudinally extending slot in saidsleeve, a plurality of transverse holes in said plunger, a pinselectively engageable with said holes, said pin slidable in said slot,an upstanding bracket on the upper arm of said frame, a fluid cylinderpivotally mounted on said bracket, a piston in said cylinder, abellcrank mounted on said frame, said piston pivotally connected to oneend of said bellcrank, the other end of said bellcrank contacting saidpin, a fluid pump mounted on said cylinder for transferring fluidbetween the ends of said cylinder.

6. A valve lifter comprising a. C-shaped frame, a pair of spaced apartjaws rigidly secured on the end of the lower arm of said frame, saidjaws adapted to engage the lower spring seat of a valve spring, abifurcated end on the end of the upper arm of said frame, a sleevemounted in said bifurcated end, said sleeve being transverse to saidarm, a plunger slidably mounted in said sleeve, a head on said plungeradapted to contact a valve head, a longitudinally extending slot in saidsleeve, a plurality of transverse holes in said plunger, a pinselectively engageable with said holes, said pin slidable in said slot,an upstanding bracket on the upper arm of said frame, a fluid cylinderpivotally mounted on said bracket, a piston in said cylinder, abellcrank mounted on 5 said frame, said piston pivotally connected toone end of said bellcrank, the other end of said bellcrank contactingsaid pin, a fluid. pump mounted on said cylinder for transferring fluidbetween the ends of said cylinder, a foot pedal operatively 10 connectedto said pump.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date Barr Dec. 9, 1919 Cook Mar. 17, 1925 Wilson Apr. 28, 1925Allen Mar. 22, 1927 Berck Apr. 26, 1932 Worrall Aug. 4, 1936 Murphy May30, 1950 DHaem Nov. 11, 1952

